JPH07162843A - Remote control device and image input device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To enable remote operation of multiple home electric devices while watching the monitor image. [Structure] The light emitting element 26 outputs an infrared remote control signal to the front. The light emitting element 26 is integrated with the video camera 10, and its infrared irradiation direction is the same as the shooting direction of the video camera 10. Video camera 10
The photographed image of is transmitted to the videophone at the destination via the circuits 14, 16, 18a, 20 and displayed on the monitor screen. The directional zoom and focus of the video camera 12 can be controlled by a videophone on the go. The camera drive control circuit 28 drives and controls the video camera 12 in accordance with a control signal from a destination. The output direction of the light emitting element 26 is also changed in synchronization with the change of the direction of the video camera 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control device and an image input device for remotely controlling a controlled device such as an electric device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A remote control system for remotely controlling an electric device or the like, for example, an electric device in a house, through a communication line such as a telephone line is well known. In a certain system, a wireless communication line (electromagnetic waves or infrared rays) is set between a telephone, specifically an answering machine and a controlled device, and a predetermined control signal (for example, DTMF is followed) from the destination to the telephone. By transmitting a control signal), a wireless control signal corresponding to the control signal received by the telephone is transmitted to the controlled device. As a result, the controlled devices (the air conditioner, the bath, etc.) in the house can be remotely controlled from the place where they are going. Also, when transmission from the controlled device to the telephone is possible, the operating state of the controlled device can be known from the destination.

Of course, by using an electromagnetic wave in an appropriate frequency band, it is possible to remotely control any specific controlled device among a plurality of controlled devices in which at least the receiver is within a certain distance from the telephone.

A wired connection configuration called a home bus is well known, not a wireless connection. However, in the case of a wired system, wiring work must be done in advance, and the position change or extension of controlled equipment is required. There is a drawback that it is difficult to deal with. On the contrary, the wireless system has an advantage that it does not require wiring work and can flexibly cope with the position change or expansion of controlled devices.

[0005]

However, if the directivity is widened in the conventional wireless system, adverse effects such as interference and radio interference may be considered. Depending on the strength of the radio wave, the controlled device in the adjacent house may be affected. May be operated.

In order to avoid this, normally, infrared rays or microwaves are used with a relatively sharp directivity, but if this is done, there is the inconvenience that the installation location of the controlled device or telephone is limited. Furthermore, when it is desired to control a plurality of controlled devices, it is necessary to arrange the receivers of the respective controlled devices on the same line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control device and an image input device which eliminate such inconvenience.

[0008]

A remote control device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a remote control device for remotely operating one or more controlled equipment by a radio signal, and comprises an image input means and an image input means. An image transmitting means for transmitting the input image to the communication line is provided, and the controlled device can be observed through the communication line.

A remote control device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a remote control device for remotely controlling one or more controlled devices by a radio signal, and remote control signal transmitting means for transmitting a remote control signal to the controlled devices. And a destination control means for controlling the transmission direction of the remote control signal transmitted by the remote control signal transmitting means, and a control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal for the destination control means from a communication line. Characterize.

A remote control device according to a third aspect of the present invention is a remote control device for remotely operating one or more controlled devices by a radio signal, and communicates image input means with an image input by the image input means. Image transmission means for transmitting to the line,
Drive control means for driving and controlling the image input means, first control signal receiving means for receiving a first control signal for the drive control means from a communication line, and a remote operation instruction for the one or more controlled devices The second control signal receiving means for receiving the two control signals via the communication line and the second control signal received by the second control signal receiving means are
It is characterized by comprising a signal conversion means for converting the above-mentioned remote control signal for the controlled device and a remote control signal output means for outputting the remote control signal converted by the signal conversion means.

An image input apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes remote control signal output means for outputting a wireless remote control signal for remotely operating one or more controlled devices.

A remote control device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a remote control device for remotely operating one or more controlled devices by a radio signal, and a direction storage means for storing the direction of the one or more controlled devices. , Remote control signal output means for outputting a remote control signal to the controlled device and reference to the direction storage means according to the selection of the controlled device to be controlled,
It is characterized by comprising direction changing means for changing the output direction of the control signal output means to the direction of the controlled device to be controlled.

[0013]

By the above means, it becomes possible to monitor one or more controlled devices by a video from a remote place, and the operation of the controlled device before or after remote operation can be easily confirmed at the remote place.
The controlled device to be remotely controlled can be intuitively grasped and can be operated as if the specific controlled device is remotely controlled. Since the control signal can be selectively transmitted to any controlled device falling within the predetermined range, restrictions on the arrangement of the controlled device are relaxed, and a plurality of controlled devices can be set.

By presetting and registering the direction of the controlled device, it becomes possible to freely select any controlled device and perform remote control with a very simple operation.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 is a remote control device which is an embodiment of the present invention. A video camera 12 is used not only for photographing the user when using it as a videophone, but also as a monitor camera for remote control. Reference numeral 14 is a video interface that converts the video signal output from the video camera 12 into a predetermined internal format, and 16 is a video processing circuit that performs processing such as filtering and encoding on the output of the video interface 14.

Reference numeral 18 is a line control circuit for controlling communication via the communication line, and includes a video signal transmitting section 18a for transmitting the output of the video processing circuit 16 and D from the communication line.
A control signal receiving unit 18b that receives and processes various control signals such as TMF is provided. The line control circuit 18 is connected to a communication line via a line interface 20.

Reference numeral 22 is a signal conversion circuit for converting the output of the control signal receiving section 18b into a signal format of a remote control signal for a specific electric device to be controlled, and 24 is an output of the signal conversion circuit 22 for turning on the light emitting element 26. It is a driving circuit for driving. The light emitting element 26 is driven by the drive circuit 24 and outputs an infrared wireless control signal. In addition to infrared rays, there are microwaves, radio waves, ultrasonic waves, and the like, but remote control by infrared rays is generally used for electric devices in a home, and the utilization is high.

The light emitting element 26 is integrated with the video camera 12 and always faces the same direction as the video camera 12.

Reference numeral 28 is a camera drive control circuit for controlling the direction, focus and zoom of the video camera 12 in accordance with the camera control signal received via the communication line.
The camera control signal is separated from the received signal by the control signal receiving unit 18b and supplied to the camera drive control circuit 28.

FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the remote control device 10, and in particular,
A perspective view of a portion where the video camera 12 and the light emitting element 26 are integrated is shown.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described by taking as an example the case where the electric device in the house is remotely controlled at the place where the user is out. Figure 3
The flowchart is shown.

A call is sent from the videophone to the remote control device 10 in the house (S1), and the remote control device 10 in the house responds to the call to establish the communication line. An image taken by the video camera 12 of the remote control device 10 is displayed on the monitor screen of the videophone on the go. While watching the display screen, operate the video camera 12 remotely (S
2).

More specifically, the video camera 12
The output video signal of 1 is subjected to format conversion by the video interface 14 and then subjected to filtering and coding processing by the video processing circuit 16. The video signal transmission unit 18a outputs the output of the video processing circuit 16 to the communication line via the line interface 20. As a result, the inside of the house is displayed on the monitor screen of the videophone at the destination.

Here, while watching the monitor screen from the videophone at the destination, the remote control device 1 is connected via the communication line.
A control signal such as DTMF for driving and controlling the video camera 12, that is, a camera control signal is transmitted to 0. This camera control signal is supplied to the camera drive control circuit 28 via the line interface 20 and the control signal receiving unit 18b. The camera drive control circuit 28 controls the orientation, zoom and focus of the video camera 12. Light emitting element 26
Is integrated with the video camera 12, the camera drive control circuit 28 also controls the orientation of the light emitting element 26.

When the home electric device to be remotely controlled is displayed on the videophone at the destination (S3), the target home electric device is remotely controlled. Specifically, the remote control device 10 transmits a remote control signal for the home electric device to be controlled to the remote control device 10 from the videophone at the destination via the communication line. This remote control signal is input to the control signal receiver 18b via the line interface 20. The signal conversion circuit 22 is
The remote control signal input from the control signal receiving unit 18b is converted into a control signal for the home electric device to be controlled, and the output is applied to the light emitting element 26 via the drive circuit 24.
The light emitting element 26 emits an infrared control signal toward the home electric device to be controlled.

The present embodiment is not limited to the remote control dedicated device, but can be realized by various device forms such as an answering machine videophone and an answering machine with a video camera. It can also be realized by adding a remote control function to the image input device.

As a communication line, an analog public telephone network (P
Obviously, various communication media can be used such as STN), ISDN and LAN.

In this embodiment, the video processing circuit 16 for executing processing such as filtering and coding of the video signal is provided, but the video processing circuit 16 is not an essential component of the present invention.

Although the control signal receiving section 18b receives both the camera control signal and the control signal for remote control of the controlled equipment, the control signal receiving section is provided to receive each signal separately. Good.

Further, in the above embodiment, the video camera 12 and the light emitting element 26 are integrated, but they may be moved separately so that they are separately driven and controlled.

In this embodiment, the camera drive control signal and the control signal for instructing the remote control of the controlled equipment are DTMF.
However, other formats such as ISDN user / user information may be used. The signal transmission medium from the remote control device 10 of the present embodiment to the controlled device is not limited to infrared rays, visible light,
It may be electromagnetic waves and sound waves.

As a matter of course, the remotely operated electric equipment is not limited to home electric appliances and audio products, but may include various kinds of equipment such as OA equipment.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 40 is a remote control device according to the second embodiment, 42 is a light emitting element for transmitting an infrared control signal to an electric device which is a controlled device, and 44 is a light emitting device 4.
A scanning circuit that rotationally scans 2 to change the irradiation direction of the output light, and a storage circuit 46 stores the direction of each electric device together with the identifier of the electric device.

Reference numeral 48 is a line interface for connecting to a communication line. A line control circuit 50 controls communication via a communication line, and includes a control signal receiving unit 50a that receives and processes various control signals such as DTMF from the communication line.

Reference numeral 52 is a signal conversion circuit for converting a control signal from the communication line, more specifically, a control signal output from the control signal receiving section 50a into a control signal format for an electric device to be controlled, and 54 is The drive circuit drives the light emitting element 42 according to the output of the signal conversion circuit 52.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a process in which the remote control device 40 registers the direction of one or more home electric devices (controlled devices). The scanning circuit 44 scans the irradiation direction of the light emitting element 42 and sets the direction of the home electric device to be controlled (S11). For example, the user manually indicates to the remote control device 40 the direction of the electric device to be remotely operated, and the scanning device 44 directs the light emitting element 42 in the indicated direction. The user himself determines whether the direction is proper.

The fixed direction of the home electric device to be controlled is stored in the storage circuit 4 together with the identifier of the home electric device.
6 is registered (S12). The identifier of the home electric device may be, for example, a simple continuous number.

When there are a plurality of electric devices to be remotely controlled in the house, the above process is executed for each electric device. As a result, the identifiers of the plurality of home electric devices and the directions of the home electric devices are registered in the storage circuit 46.

FIG. 6 shows a flow chart in the case of remotely operating the home electric device from the place where the user is out.

The user makes a call to the remote control device 40 in the home from the telephone at the destination (S21). When the remote control device 40 in the house responds to this, the user designates the home electric device to be remotely controlled by the telephone at the destination (S22), and accordingly, the remote control device 40 selects the light emitting element 42. It is turned toward the home electric device (S23).

Specifically, a DTM indicating an identifier of an electric device to be remotely controlled from a telephone at a destination via a communication line.
A control signal such as F is transmitted. The control signal is applied to the scanning circuit 44 via the line interface 48 and the control signal receiving section 50a. The scanning circuit 44 reads the direction of the electric device specified by the input control signal from the storage circuit 46, and rotationally scans the light emitting element 42 so as to face the direction.

The user inputs the control signal of the selected home electric device to the telephone at the destination. This input signal is DTM
Propagate the communication line by F etc., and the line interface 4
8 and the control signal receiving unit 50a, the signal conversion circuit 52
To enter. The signal conversion circuit 52 converts a control operation signal from a destination to a signal format of an infrared control signal of a home electric device to be controlled, and a drive circuit 54 drives the light emitting element 42 according to the output of the signal conversion circuit 52. That is, that is, it emits light. Thereby, the infrared control signal is applied to the selected home electric device, and the home electric device is remotely operated.

The present embodiment is not limited to the form of a remote control dedicated device, but can be realized by various device forms such as an answering machine videophone and an answering machine.

As a communication line, an analog public telephone network (P
Obviously, various communication media can be used such as STN), ISDN and LAN.

The method for setting the direction of the controlled device is not limited to the manual setting by the user's direction instruction, and other methods such as automatic detection by detecting the signal from each controlled device may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the direction of the controlled device is specified by designating the identifier of the controlled device to be remotely controlled, but the direction of the controlled device to be remotely controlled may be directly designated. Good.

The identifier of the controlled device is not limited to a simple number, but may be the name of the controlled device. For example, a menu showing a list of controlled devices may be displayed on the device at the destination and the user may select and specify from the list.

The control signal receiving section 50a receives both the control signal for designating the direction or identifier of the controlled device and the control signal for remote control of the controlled device.
You may provide the control-signal receiving part which receives each signal separately.

In the present embodiment, the control signal for designating the identifier and direction of the controlled device and the control signal for instructing remote control of the controlled device are not limited to DTMF, but other formats such as ISDN user / user information. May be The signal transmission medium from the remote control device 40 of the present embodiment to the controlled device is not limited to infrared rays, and may be visible light, electromagnetic waves, sound waves, or the like.

As a matter of course, the remotely operated electric devices are not limited to home electric appliances and audio products, but may include various devices such as office automation equipment.

Although the embodiment of remote control has been described, as a premise of remote control, a means for knowing the operating state of the controlled device is sometimes required. It is obvious that the present invention can be applied to a device that detects or monitors its operating state. For that purpose, for example, from the controlled device to the remote control device 10,
It suffices to provide a status notification means to the 40.

[0054]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
That is, by providing the image input means and the image transmission means for transmitting the image input by the image input means to the communication line, it becomes possible to monitor the controlled device as a video from a remote place, and before or after the remote operation. The operation of the controlled device can be easily confirmed at a remote location.

Further, by providing a drive control means for driving and controlling the image input means and a control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal for the drive control means from a communication line, a plurality of controlled devices to be remotely operated. It is possible to monitor the image from a remote location, and it is possible to easily confirm the positions of a plurality of controlled devices to be remotely controlled at the remote location.

For the remote control signal transmitting means for transmitting the remote control signal to the controlled device, the destination control means for controlling the transmission direction of the remote control signal transmitted by the remote control signal transmitting means, and the destination control means. By providing the control signal receiving means for receiving the control signal from the communication line, the control signal can be selectively transmitted to any controlled equipment within a predetermined range.

Image input means, and image transmission means for transmitting the image input by the image input means to the communication line,
Drive control means for driving and controlling the image input means, first control signal receiving means for receiving a first control signal for the drive control means from a communication line, and a remote operation instruction for the one or more controlled devices The second control signal receiving means for receiving the two control signals via the communication line and the second control signal received by the second control signal receiving means are
By providing the signal conversion means for converting the remote control signal for the controlled device and the remote control signal output means for outputting the remote control signal converted by the signal conversion means, a plurality of controlled devices to be remotely operated. It is possible to remotely control each of a plurality of controlled devices individually while monitoring the device with a video from a remote location.

Further, the image input means and the remote control signal output means are integrated, and the drive control means is
By controlling not only the drive of the image input unit but also the output direction of the remote control signal output by the remote control signal output unit, the controlled device to be remotely operated can be selected accurately.

By providing the image input device with remote control signal output means for outputting a wireless remote control signal for remotely controlling one or more controlled devices, the controlled devices can be remotely controlled while confirming the controlled devices by the input image. Can be operated.

Depending on the selection of the controlled equipment to be controlled, the direction storage means for storing the direction of one or more controlled equipments, the remote control signal output means for outputting the remote control signal to the controlled equipments. By referring to the direction storage means and providing direction changing means for changing the output direction of the remote control signal output means to the direction of the controlled device to be controlled, it is possible to freely control a plurality of controlled devices in any direction. Select to enable remote control.

Further, the direction storage means stores the information indicating the direction of each controlled device together with the identifier of each controlled device, and the direction changing means follows the identifier information received through the communication line. By changing the output direction of the control signal output means to the direction of the controlled device corresponding to the identifier of the identifier information, selection of the controlled device becomes easier.

Further, remote control signal receiving means for receiving a remote control signal for specifying the controlled equipment and its operation via the communication line, and at least control contents of the remote control signal received by the remote control signal receiving means. By providing the signal conversion means for converting the signal shown to a signal format according to the controlled equipment to be controlled and applying it to the remote control signal output means, a plurality of controlled equipments can be freely operated remotely. become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an external perspective view of a portion having a video camera 12 and a light emitting element 26. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a controlled device registration process in the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of remote operation in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Remote control device 12: Video camera 14: Video interface 16: Video processing circuit 18:
Line control circuit 18a: video signal transmission unit 18b: control signal reception unit 20: line interface 22: signal conversion circuit 24: drive circuit 26: light emitting element 28:
Camera drive control circuit 40: Remote control device 42: Light emitting element 44: Scanning circuit 46: Storage circuit 48: Line interface 50: Line control circuit 50a: Control signal receiver 52: Signal conversion circuit 54: Drive circuit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device for remotely operating one or more controlled devices by a wireless signal, comprising image input means and image transmission means for transmitting an image input by the image input means to a communication line. A remote control device, comprising: the controlled device, wherein the controlled device can be observed through a communication line. 2. The remote control device according to claim 1, further comprising drive control means for driving and controlling the image input means, and control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal for the drive control means from a communication line. . 3. A remote control device for remotely controlling one or more controlled equipment by a radio signal, comprising: a remote control signal transmitting means for transmitting a remote control signal to the controlled equipment; and a remote control signal transmitting means. A remote control device comprising: a destination control means for controlling a transmission direction of a remote control signal to be transmitted; and a control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal for the destination control means from a communication line. 4. A remote control device for remotely controlling one or more controlled devices by a radio signal, comprising image input means, and image transmission means for transmitting an image input by the image input means to a communication line. Drive control means for driving and controlling the image input means, first control signal receiving means for receiving a first control signal for the drive control means from a communication line, and a remote operation instruction for the one or more controlled devices Two
Second control signal receiving means for receiving a control signal via a communication line, and a signal for converting the second control signal received by the second control signal receiving means into a remote control signal for the one or more controlled devices. A remote control device comprising: a conversion means and a remote control signal output means for outputting the remote control signal converted by the signal conversion means. 5. The image input means and the remote control signal output means are integrated, and the drive control means not only drives and controls the image input means, but also outputs from the remote control signal output means. The remote control device according to claim 4, wherein the output direction of the remote control signal is also controlled. 6. An image input apparatus comprising remote control signal output means for outputting a wireless remote control signal for remotely operating one or more controlled devices. 7. A remote control device for remotely operating one or more controlled devices by a radio signal, and a direction storage means for storing the direction of the one or more controlled devices, and a remote control signal for the controlled devices. In accordance with the selection of the remote control signal output means for outputting the control target equipment to be controlled, the direction storage means is referred to, and the output direction of the remote control signal output means is set to the direction of the controlled equipment A remote control device, comprising: 8. The direction storage means stores information indicating the direction of each controlled device together with the identifier of each controlled device, and the direction changing means follows the identifier information received via a communication line. The remote control device according to claim 7, wherein the output direction of the control signal output means is changed to the direction of the controlled device corresponding to the identifier of the identifier information. 9. A remote control signal receiving means for receiving a remote control signal for specifying a controlled device and its operation via a communication line, and at least control contents of the remote control signal received by the remote control signal receiving means. 9. The remote control device according to claim 7, further comprising a signal conversion unit that converts the signal to be converted into a signal format corresponding to the controlled device to be controlled and applies the signal to the remote control signal output unit.